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The Dandelion Staff
The Dandelion employees are as loyal as the shop’s customers, some having worked there for more than twenty-five years.
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Vintage photo of The Dandelion staff
In 1975 three young mothers wanting a local place to shop for children’s clothing decided to open a store themselves. The Dandelion, originally located in White Stone, moved to the old Methodist parsonage in Irvington in the late 1970s and has become one of Virginia’s best shopping destinations.
Current co-owners Jean Ward-Smith and Sheila Broderick Brown are proud of the store’s transformation into a premier boutique for women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories, and gifts for special occasions. The Dandelion also offers gifts for children and a selection of accessories for men.
“Four generations of customers have made us successful,” Jean explains. A loyal group of locals is the core of The Dandelion’s customer base, but it’s not unusual to see shoppers from the Washington-Baltimore, Richmond, and Tidewater areas browsing The Dandelion’s wide array of merchandise.
“We have customers on the West Coast and overseas who contact us when they need something for their wardrobe or a special occasion,” says Sheila.
The Dandelion employees are as loyal as the shop’s customers, some having worked there for more than twenty-five years. Jean and Sheila do the buying. They pride themselves on offering unique seasonal collections and fair-trade items.
The Dandelion has had an Internet presence for years and recently unveiled their newest website. Sheila adds, “We’ve been invited to sell items through Shoptiques.com, an online service that lets customers shop the world’s best boutiques.”
Jean says, “We advertise through many outlets—print, radio, social media—some customers still want to be called.” Providing that kind of personal service has made The Dandelion successful for four decades.
The Dandelion: thedandelion.com
